Fire-escape apparatus.



Patented Aug. s, 1909.

5 INVENTOR.

v ywwf/ A TTORNE Y.;

J. G. F. SPRANKLE.

HRI: BSGAIE APPARATUS.

APPLIGATIO-N FILED JUNE 15, 190B.

WITNESSES m-umoammmz, wAsmnown. D, a

JOHN C. F. SPRANKLE, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA,

FIRE-ESCAPE APPARATUS.

No. easy/ai.

specification of Letters rement.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

Application led LTune 15, 1908. p Serial No. 438,447. t

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that l, JOHN C. F. SPRANKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort l/Vayne, in the county of Allen, in the State of lfndiana, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Fire-Escape Ap.- paratus and l do herebyr declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. i

My invention relates to improvements in 'lire-escape apparatus.

The primary object of my present invention is to irovide a cheap,`simple, efficient and reliabie 'lire-escape apparatus having a weight of less than seven pounds, and a tested strength of over eight hundred pounds, and of su'llicient compactness to be conveniently carried in an ordinary grip or suit case, and so constructed and arranged that the operator can make use of it on a moments no tice without the least delay.

My invention consists of a hollow two-partv casing of suitable metal, preferably aluminum, having vertical passages for a suitable cable and provided upon its lower end with a proper hook a reel-drum rotatably mounted within the hollow casing; a steel or bronze cable coiled about said drum and Jrovided upon its upper end with a suitable astening means, the said casing being adapted for a descent upon the cable; and means for regulating the speed of such descent.

The novel features of my present invention reside in the construction and relative ar rangement of the co-acting parts, whereby the operator, who is supported by the device, can conveniently and securely regulate his descent thereon upon any length of cable and from any desired height of biiilding.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings in which- Figure 1, is a side elevation of my invention partly in section and partly broken away to show the general contour of the casing and the relative arrangement of the operative parts therein, and particularly the means for regulating the descent ofthe apparatus upon its supporting cable. Fig. 2 is a vertical centrai section of thesame showing the manner of securing the two parts or sections of the casing, and showing the manner of mounting the reel-drum within the casing, and also showing the manner of securing the apparatus upon the cable. Fig. 3 is perspective detail somewhat enlarged of the reel-drum and the brake mechanism for regulating the speed of descent. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a building showing the manner in which my invention is employed in actual practice.

The casing l is formed of two identical parts or sections, which when united form two similar lateral handles or hand holds 2 and is provided with a hollow interior 3 in which the reel drum is arranged. These casing sections are rigidly secured together at.

their top and bottoniv by proper holding screws 4 and 5 respectively. ln the lower end of the casing 1. is rigidly fixed a pendent hanger plate 6 by means ofthe screw 5. This late has a suitable hook 7 secured to its lbwer end which is adapted to be fastened to any suitable belt, not shown, which is to be fastened around the body of the operator in the usual and well understood manner of ein ploying a belt in this class of apparatus.

The' reel-drum is rotatably mounted in the interior 3 of the casing by means of the short journals 8, which are loosely mounted in opposite openings in the respective casing sections, as shown in Fig. 2. has a section of reduced diameter at its cen* tral portion about which the cable 9 is given a proper number of coils or turns to afford the proper amount of friction, preferably three turns as shown. This reel has two identical portions 10 at the opposite sides of the reduced portions, which portions 1() are provided. with suitable spring steel brakestraps 11 arranged upon the perimeters thereof, in any suitable manner. These brake straps are rigidly lined to the casing at one end by means of adjusting screws 12 having a wing nut 13 by which the tension of these brake straps can be regulated at pleasure. The upper ends ol' these brake straps are rigidly connected by means of the cross-plate 14, Fig. 3, having at or near the middle of its length an eye or staple 15 in which the upper curved end of the brakelever 16 is pivotally mounted. This brakelever normally rests in the suitable lateral recess 17 in one of the handle portions 2, as shown in Fig. 1, and is adapted to regulate the friction of the brake-strap upon the per rThis rcel-drum imeter of the reel drum in the manner hereafter described.

The cable 9 is of anypsuitable metal and any proper construction toV give it the remy invention thus described is obvious and briefly stated is as follows: Assuming the operator to be occupying a room on the third floor of the hotel building 19, upon being Aawakened by the alarm offire therein, he

secures the upper end of the vcable to the window casing, or other suitable support, with the apparatus in position at the upper end of the cable which is then letdown to the ground. The operator nowY fastens any suitable belt about him in any proper manner and then secures the saine to the hook 7, after which he lets yhimself down upon the cable by holding to the handles 2 with one hand in contact with the brake-,lever 16, by which means he regulates the speed of descent upon the cable. When he desires to lessen the speed of descent he simply presses firmly with onev hand against the inner edge of the lower end 20 of the brake-lever 16 which will thereby tighten the two brakestraps 11 upon the reel-drum and thus `re` duce the speed by their friction upon the drum. Practical tests show that an ordinary operatorcan so operate thisbrake mechanism as to bring himself to a stand or .securing theV leases proportionately his hold or pressure upon the brake-lever 16, as described.

The described brake mechanism, particularly the brake-straps 11, can be so arranged as to automatically afford a certain predetermined speed of descent for any predetermined weight of the operator, if desired, by regulating the tension of the brake-straps 11 on the perimeter of the reel, though I prefer that the 'operator should regulate his own speed of descentas the most reliable and satisfactory mode of operation.

Obviouslythe mere contour of the containing casing may be varied at pleasure without departing from the spirit of my invention; When my invention is carried in a grip or otherwise stored the cable ends can be ,conveniently wrapped around the casing to arrange the parts in the most compact and convenient form.

Having thus described my invention and the manner of operating the same, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A lire escape, comprising a cable and a drum therefor; a hollow casing inclosing said drum in its central portion and having on each side thereof loop ortionsforming handholds g and a strap-brc ie encircling the drum and controlled by a hook-shaped lever spanning the opening of one loop and the end of the hook being attached to the brake strap and the shank thereof lying adjacent the hand-hold on that side and so arranged' that it may be grasped with such hand hold and the brake band tightened by tightening such grasp. i A

Signed by me at Fort Vayne, Allen county, State of indiana, this 13th day of June, 1908.

JOHN C. F. SPRANKLE. Witnesses:

AUGUSTA VIBERG, WATTs P. DENNY. 

